Anbernic's new handhelds rumored to be based on discontinued Nintendo models

Anbernic has announced a handful of handhelds this year such as the PS Vita-inspired RG Vita and RG Vita Pro, and more recently, the RG Rotate with a swiveling display. That doesn't seem like all it has planned for the year, as reports of two new handhelds in development have surfaced.

The first of these new handhelds is reported to be called the Anbernic RG 2DS, and like the RG DS (available on Amazon for $129.98) released in 2025, it is based on a Nintendo handheld, specifically the Nintendo 2DS. The dual-screen handheld, which was released in 2013, was a part of the Nintendo 3DS family, but unlike the 2DS XL, 3DS, and 3DS XL, it doesn't have a hinge.

The info about Anbernic's new handheld reportedly surfaced on the Chinese social network, QQ. According to the source, the handheld will have a custom display with a 1600 × 900 resolution and another with a 400 × 240 resolution. For comparison, the original Nintendo DS launched with a 3.53-inch 400 × 240 upper display and a 3.2-inch 320 × 240 lower display.

The Anbernic RG 2DS is reported to have a similar design to the Nintendo 2DS. However, apart from the higher resolution displays, we can expect modern features such as a USB-C port, a more powerful processor, better speakers, a much larger battery capacity, and either Android or Linux preinstalled.

The other handheld is reported to launch as the Anbernic RG 3DS, and like the RG 2DS, the details were also posted on QQ. The RG 3DS will be based on the Nintendo 3DS, which means it will be a dual-display handheld with a clamshell design.

The Anbernic RG 3DS is rumored to have a main display (custom made) with a 5:3 aspect ratio and a 1600 × 900 resolution while the secondary display will have a 400 × 240 resolution. However, it won't have support for glasses-free 3D like the Nintendo 3DS. It is also not known if it will have cameras like the original 3DS. Nevertheless, we can expect the handheld to pack modern and better features in key areas such as the processor, RAM, storage, and battery life.

There's no info yet regarding when these two handhelds will be released, but before they are officially announced, there's likely to be more leaks.